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Path: utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!rutgers!ames!oliveb!jerry
From: jerry@oliveb.UUCP
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.lans
Subject: Re: Special reward for Ethernet xceiver cable designer
Message-ID: <4333@oliveb.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 1-Sep-87 21:04:54 EDT
Article-I.D.: oliveb.4333
Posted: Tue Sep  1 21:04:54 1987
Date-Received: Thu, 3-Sep-87 04:35:43 EDT
References: <44078@beno.seismo.CSS.GOV>
Reply-To: jerry@oliveb.UUCP (Jerry F Aguirre)
Organization: Olivetti ATC; Cupertino, Ca
Lines: 36

In article <44078@beno.seismo.CSS.GOV> mo@seismo.CSS.GOV (Mike O'Dell) writes:
>I suspect that many of you out there share my belief that
>if there is in fact any justice in this world, there is
>a special place in Hell reserved for the person who
>design the bloody clip which is claimed to hold a
>transciever cable in place at either end.
       ^^ i before e except after c

Actually the designer may be less at fault than the manufacturer.  At on
of my first jobs they used "slide-locks" for the 25 Pin RS232
connections.  It was great being able to swap terminals without fooling
with a screwdriver.  We had no problems that I can recall.  (Actually
figuring out which direction locked was a pain.)

The slide-locks on transceiver cables, on the other hand, aren't worth
!{}!*.  Particularly bad are the type that are in two pieces, that is a
separate unit on each end of the connector.  The one piece units are a
little stiffer but still seem to suffer from crummy metal.  There
doesn't seem to be any consistancy about which way they lock.  Some
slide up and some down.  I usually swap them around to be the same.

The best suggestion seems to be to strain relief the cable.  (This kind
of defeats the "easy connect" feature.)  Installers recommend
tie-wrapping the transceiver cable to the ethernet cable near the
transceiver tap.  This works best if the transceiver has its connection
adjacent to the side with the tap so both cables run parallel.  On the
equipment end secure the cable within a few inches of the connection.
If you use two cables in series then you are asking for trouble.

3Com doesn't use the slide-locks on their PC card.  They have a little
bracket that fits over the connector and clamps it to the back panel
with screws.  I guess someone there must share your views.  Cabletron
has a bracket that fits on the back of their multi-port-repeater (like a
DEC DELNI).  It provides strain relief for all 9 transceiver cables and
the power cord.
				Jerry Aguirre